Passed over for a promotion he had earned by a back-slapping (and back-stabbing) colleague, Mac Vallely seethed as he headed home on the 5:43 commuter train. That’s when he met “Z” – the man whose advice would change his life …

The Insult That Made a VP Out of Mac

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Average height. Thinning some on top, getting a little thick around the middle. His car is five years old, as are most of his suits. Gets along with everyone at work, but has no mentor, or protégé. If you had to describe him as a color, it’d probably be beige.

But there’s one thing that makes Mac special. He’s good at his job. Scratch that – he’s great at his job. He is universally respected by both his colleagues and his bosses. So when an assistant VP slot – the #3 job in the company – opened up last year, Mac figured he was a shoo-in. After all, he had glowing evaluations, a solid track record. He had worked hard, and gotten results. In short, as he told his wife, he’d earned this promotion.

A month after the job opening was announced, and after having what he thought was a go-through-the-motions interview, Mac bumped into the senior VP in the coffee room. “Hi, Vince, how’s it going? Did you want to sit down and talk about the job sometime?” he asked.

“Job?” the boss replied.

“Yeah, the assistant VP.”

“Right, right,” came the response. “Let me get back to you on that, Vallely. I’ve been absolutely swamped with the Lundberg deal lately.” And he was gone in a swirl of styrofoam cups and nondairy creamer.

At first, Mac took the older man’s comments at face value. But later, back at his desk, he started to put things together. Vince had always addressed him as “Mac” before – never by his last name. And the Lundberg contract had been put to bed three weeks ago – and it was Mac who’d done most of the heavy lifting. Then, Mac recalled seeing Vince at a local restaurant with Gregg Ellis, a glad-handing colleague whose work was often sloppy and incomplete (unless he got Mac’s help).

“Damn it,” Mac realized. “He’s lying to me.” His legs felt weak, and a knot formed in his stomach. If you had to describe him as a color, it’d probably be gray.

Sure enough, two days later the announcement came down from on high: Gregg Ellis was the new assistant vice president. Mac put on a good face, warmly shaking Gregg’s hand and smiling when his new boss described Mac as “my strong right hand.”

“I’d like to give him a strong right hand,” he thought, but kept those feelings to himself.

At least until he got on the 5:43 train out of the city.

And that’s when I heard Mac’s story.

Office politics may be a game, but it’s not “just” a game.

It’s a game you MUST win. To survive – and thrive – in today’s cutthroat environment, you need the gamesmanship and insights found only in The Black Book of Executive Politics. Get your copy today!

Who am I? Well, let’s just call me “Z.” Chances are you’ve seen me interviewed on a cable business channel, or read about me in the press. Over the years, I’ve risen through the ranks to head my own $20 million communications company. Part of the reason is that I’m smart, and part of it is good, old-fashioned hard work. But there are a lot of smart, hard-working people out there. If you’re reading this, you’re probably one of them. And so is Mac.

For years, I’ve been wanting to tell my story. So, a few years ago, I agreed to write a tell-all book. The publisher agreed to maintain my anonymity. And in return, I agreed to hold nothing back.

The truth is that smarts and hard work alone won’t get you into the corner office. There’s another reason I’ve gone from a steady job to an exciting career … from a good life to an envied lifestyle … from a decent salary to a lucrative compensation package …

The reason? I play office politics, and I’m good at it. Damn good.

People who fail come in all shapes and sizes. During my years in business, I’ve seen them all. Some rose through the ranks quickly, only to stall and drop for good like punctured balloons. Some were geniuses who perennially were underappreciated and not rewarded enough. But most were simply hard-working people with good ideas and instincts who got permanently stuck in ruts.

I’ve also seen a handful of people who – regardless of education, intelligence, manners, appearance, or other obvious factors – rose steadily through the ranks and then stayed on top through fat times and lean. They were the type who, consciously or instinctively, knew the art of political survival.

As Mac recounted his sad tale – he’d been screaming into his cell phone to a friend until the conductor shushed him, but he just couldn’t stop talking – I listened intently. He was flushed and enraged. If you had to describe him as a color, it’d probably be red.

I reached into my attaché case, and showed Mac my dog-eared copy of The Black Book of Executive Politics. I flipped to the section entitled “Recognizing Secret Agendas, Hidden Backstabbers,” and handed it to him. Mac read for about eight seconds, and then his eyes grew big as quarters. “Hey, he did that!” And a moment later, “He did that too, the snake!”

This section was sandwiched between “How to Spot Deceitful People” and “Deal Diplomatically With an Opponent – and Get Even if You Have to.” Mac started to read them, but his stop was next.

“Can I borrow this?” he asked.

Office politics may be a game, but it’s not “just” a game.

It’s a game you MUST win. To survive – and thrive – in today’s cutthroat environment, you need the gamesmanship and insights found only in The Black Book of Executive Politics. Get your copy today!

I could see he was interested – fascinated, even – but I couldn’t just give away my personal copy. But I knew that The Black Book of Executive Politics was perfect for a guy like him. Mac would instantly benefit from many of the lessons in the book:

The Influence Game. Contrary to popular belief, “clout” has nothing to do with your ability to coerce or threaten people. The Black Book documents how taking on risky projects or assuming responsibilities in a restructuring can help you bypass a company’s formal power structure and gain true, lasting influence.

Increasing Your Powers of Persuasion. By keeping things simple … structuring your presentation … anticipating objections … and being flexible and inclusive, you can literally DOUBLE your power to sway colleagues to your way of thinking.

Acting Out of Character. If you’re a shouter, whispering may get you far more attention. If you’re a whisperer, have you tried shouting? This concept applies to other behavioral traits, too. The Black Book devotes a section to the effectiveness of this shifting of gears – and how it will get your ideas noticed.

Emergency Phrases. When a meeting is spiraling out of control, your mettle as a leader faces the acid test. Simply saying, “I would like to make a statement” can bring the room to silent attention – and it’s just one of six magic phrases I’ve used successfully time and time again.

Your Personal Power Inventory. Do you live in the same neighborhood as one of your company’s top executives? Maybe your kid plays soccer with the son of your chief competitor. By assessing your personal relations – everyone from college alumni to that guy who plays poker with your Uncle Jack – you can determine the people who can help you … and which should be avoided like they were sprayed by a skunk.

Keeping the Upper Hand. Should you coddle a maverick, or corral him? What strategies can you employ when a subordinate goes over your head? In my career, I’ve dealt with all these situations and many others – and I’ve documented them all in The Black Book of Executive Politics.

Moving Up or Moving On. Face it, a career is like a shark – it has to keep moving forward or it dies. But by tracking industry trends … being intimately aware of your company’s financial status … talking to industry consultants … and cultivating friendships with executives who’ve already moved on, you can read the writing on the wall – and even rewrite it to your advantage.

Mac’s hand was reaching for my book.

“Sorry, Mac, this is my personal copy,” I replied. “But I tell you what. Meet me in the bar car of the 5:43 tomorrow, and I’ll sell you a copy.”

The next day, Mac was there. I handed over the book – and he was gone, immediately devouring it. I saw him reading during the commute, nodding and laughing. I wished him well, and he looked up. “Thank you, __________,” he said. I smiled, and we exchanged cards.

I got a thank-you note the next week, and two months later Mac sent a text message saying he’d been hired as a VP for a rival firm. Six months later, I got a cryptic e-mail saying, “Watch this space.” Sure enough, the next week I saw Mac mentioned in the business section’s Movers and Shakers column. Mac’s new company had acquired his old one – with Mac in charge of the whole operation. Mac’s first action? Transferring Gregg Ellis to an office on the other side of the country – in his mother-in-law’s hometown.

Had Mac Vallely become Machiavelli? Perhaps. But what’s for sure is that he’d become a success. If you had to describe him as a color, it’d probably be purple, because today he’s corporate royalty. And I can’t help but believe that The Black Book of Executive Politics helped him along his way. Click here – it can help you, too!

Warmly,

“Z”

Office politics may be a game, but it’s not “just” a game.

It’s a game you MUST win. To survive – and thrive – in today’s cutthroat environment, you need the gamesmanship and insights found only in The Black Book of Executive Politics. Get your copy today!

P.P.S. Mergers, cutbacks, downsizing – they may all be coming to your industry. The best defense is a good offense – and there’s no better weapon in your career arsenal than The Black Book of Executive Politics.